The Judges
by TrumpCardVoodoo
Summary: Near had always just wanted to solve. But when six Death Notes prepared especially by the Shinigami King are lost on Earth, Near is thrust into a horriffic game, a puzzle he may not be able to solve, despite his new ally ... and it could mean the world.
1. Chapter 1

Inception

A pale, gaunt, young hand flew across an equally pale keyboard. Another pale, gaunt, young hand brushed the snow-white hair from emotionless, calculating eyes. It immediately returned to stacking tarot cards. A fortress of decks covered the tabletop. Nate River, Near, L, was at work.

It had been a while since Near had taken a new case. Most of the uninteresting cases had been rapes, small amounts of murders, a Ponzi scheme here and there. To Near, this was a hut of mud compared to the elaborate tower that was the Kira Case. The C-Kira Case had, in his mind, been a waste of time and pointless. His worldwide announcement of this thought obviously had effect, as the elderly began to stop dying of premature heart attacks. Near at that time was, in a rare state, downtrodden. He wondered if the "Cheap Kira" could have been stronger of will. Perhaps he would have become formidable. Oh, well . . .

But now, that was going to change. Someone was out there. There was someone else with another Death Note, an impossible Death Note . . . and a plan. A plan that would rock the foundations of the human and Shinigami world, alike. And Near would learn. And Near would learn to be. But first . . .

"Human."

Near stopped typing. His deadpan face didn't even twitch. Slowly, he turned, 95% sue that it was a . . .

"Shinigami."

The god of death was seated on a discarded swivel chair. It resembled a large, brown-gold skeleton. Jewels were embedded in its eyes and body, and elaborate jewelry hung from its neck, wrists, and legs. It had a baritone, sarcastic voice.

_Another of these gods_, thought Near. _I was under the impression I had to touch its Death Note in order for me to see it. Perhaps . . . perhaps it is powerful enough to allow people to see it at will? Or could I have touched its Note without realizing it? How is that possible . . . fragments, even pages of the Death Note can kill others. Could fragments or pages allow the human who touches them to see the owner of the Death Note the paper came from, as well? If so, then why is this Shinigami here? Should it matter to it that paper from its Death Note are here? Probably not, I'm aware the Death Note would most likely have unlimited paper, and a Death Note would still be functional even with a page or piece missing . . ._ Between ivory locks, Near grinned. _So it must have deliberately placed a piece or whole page, or pages, for that matter, from it's or another's Death Note here somewhere, knowing I would touch it and be able to see and hear it. But that would mean that it needs me. Or, at least, it needs me for something that I need to see and hear it. What could a Shinigami, a god of death, want with a human that it's indifferent to? _

"Well? Are you going to tell me your business here, Shinigami? Or are you simply waiting for me to answer for you?" said Near at last. The jeweled skeleton seemed a bit taken aback, with what little facial expression it could muster.

"Nate River. Near. L. I am Armonia Justin Beyondormason. I am the second to the Shinigami King, and advisor to all gods of death. My authority over gods of death and humans are second only to the King", said the Shinigami pompously. It hoped its high rank and status would sway the young detective.

Near quietly pulled a tarot card from the bottom of one the decks. He stared at it grimly. Upon it was an image of a man in a robe, with the infinity symbol hovering over his head. The Magician.

"I never cared much for authority", said Near. Armonia Justin grimaced.

"Then perhaps you'll care for this: there is a crisis in the Shinigami Realm, and it may spread to the human world."

"What would this crisis be?" Near asked. Near considered the possibility of another Shinigami having dropped a Death Note, but seeing as Ryuk had never been pursued by this Shinigami (as far as he knew), there was little reason to believe this.

Armonia Justin pulled a chain from behind his back. Near counted six elaborate Death Notes on the chain. Each one had a specially designed cover. One was covered in horned skulls. Another was lined with gold, with bright phoenix patterns etched into the cover. Another was decorated with various animal bones. They all looked like they had been antiques.

"There are six Death Notes, not including the one I have, in the human world. I was able to locate five", said Armonia Justin.

"Why can you not locate the other one?"

"Only up to six of the Death Notes can function in the human world. Shinigami are only able to efficiently locate Death Notes that can kill."

"But if you're to be trusted, and a seventh Note won't work in the human world, then why bother coming to me? Why do you need these Death Notes in the first place?"

"If I leave now, then these six will no longer be a part of the human world. The seventh will begin functioning and the humans possessing it will begin to use it freely."

Near scratched his nose absentmindedly. "Why should this matter? Way of Ryuk and Light Yagami, I thought you gods of death didn't mind if a human had a Death Note, unless it's your own and a new one is unavailable. But, since you already claim to have yours . . ."

"These are . . . _special_ ones. There are ones that were made especially by the Shinigami King, and used by the Shinigami King and his subordinates."

"May I . . . see _your_ Death Note?"

The jeweled skeleton's pencil-thin fingers twitched. Its two-tone crystal eyes glinted as it weighed its options. _Would it be a mistake to grant this human my Death Note? A Death Note prepared especially by the Shinigami King? What are the implications of this? The human doesn't . . . good, the human doesn't know the special ones can kill a Shinigami, regardless of whether or not they care for a human. The Judges. This human only wants results, this human only wants to win, I can see and have seen that much. _

"Very well." Armonia Justin unclipped a gem-speckled Note from the chain and tossed it at the prodigy. With an insect-like arm, Near caught the jeweled book. The first thing he noticed was that there were much more black pages in the front. The rules of the Death Note. But not only some, possibly _all_ of the rules.

Cautiously, Near began thumbing through the Note. There were 66 groups of rules, the last one being titled END. The first group, Near had already known. But, as he flipped through the black pages, he discovered that Armonia Justin was trustable: a few of the rules involved what the Shinigami had said about more than six Death Notes in the human world. But two others intrigued him.

"Mr. Beyondormason", Near started, "are these two co-"

The computer in front of Near beeped. A message.

"Mmm? Who's that?" wondered Armonia Justin. He shuffled in his seat, intrigued.

Near turned and opened the message. RESTER appeared in the upper-right hand corner. Underneath it was a link and a typed message: URGENT. Near dragged the mouse over to the link and selected it. It was to a recently uploaded YouTube video: "David Hoope Death (audio only)".

"Early this morning, United States President David Hoope died of a seemingly random heart attack. The implications of whether or not this had any involvement with Kira or a follower of Kira is unknown. Vice President Georgia Sands will be sworn in by tomorrow, as a nation remembers their leader . . ."

Near paused the video. What was the lie? The seventh Death Note . . . The rule . . .

"Shinigami . . . "

He turned to the jeweled skeleton. The Death God simply sat in the swivel chair, its gem eyes twinkling in the glow of Near's monitor. It raised a ring-covered hand to its forehead.

"Human, even if you wouldn't believe it, I am as shocked as you are. Although, this interesting turn of events may lead you to relize how dire our situation is and will be . . ."


	2. Chapter 2: Culprit

Culprit

_ G . . ._

_ e . . ._

_ o . . ._

_ r . . ._

_ g . . ._

_ i. . ._

_ a . . . Sands. Dies . . . at precisely . . . 7:13 pm . . . of . . . a heart attack._

The pen danced on the bone-white page, leaving the name of the former American vice-president in red ink. Forty seconds passed, and the writer exhaled. The job would be done.

"Two."

The writer turned to the miniature television in the small, dark room. The writer picked up the remote that lay beside the stolen Death Note and pointed it at the television. With a leather-bound finger, the writer turned the TV on.

The first thing the writer saw on the screen was worms. The writer'd left a documentary channel on. As the vaguely British commentator droned on, the writer had a brief, flickering memory

DIRTdirtdirtdirtDIRT

grossDIRT! Wormswormswormswormsmaggots dirt

wood? Wood dirt can't BReaTHe

helphelpHELPHELPpain

The writer blocked it out. It was history. Soon, there would be a new pace for the world. A new basis for civilization. With the writer secretly at its exact center. Circle. Pi.

"3.14159 . . ."

_ Click. Click. Click._

The time was 7:12. Soon. Soon . . .

_ 7:13._

"Channel number . . . four, I presume."

The writer switched to Channel 4 and waited. Waverly Wednesday founds another school . . . UFO sightings around Roswell, New Mexico, yes yes yes . . . but where was the-

"B-Breaking news! Oh my . . . we're receiving reports that the recently sworn in Georgia Sands is dying . . . is dead of a heart attack!" cried the burly anchorman from behind his podium. He sat, clutching at his Bluetooth.

A creeping grin stretched across the writer's smooth face. But, just as quickly as it came, the smile left.

_ Mustn't dwell. I've had my fun now, and I will have it again, but for now it has to get serious. This isn't for fun, and it shouldn't be. _He_ wouldn't approve. Back to business. _The writer picked up the pen, turned to the Note, and proceeded to write down the name of the Speaker of the House, Vance Haddock. Then the President pro tempore of the Senate, Mary Miens. Then the Secretaries of State and Treasury, Caleb Cole and Nelson Jobe, respectively. Secretary of Defense, Farah Han. Attorney General, Gene Friedrichs. Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security.

Jacob Woo, Kate Harris, Neil Biggs, Daniel Leinad, Dress Dearly, Victor Tolv, Xavier Sable, Janet Lina, Raymond Fergley, Kara Krowe, and Malice Mayday.

Respectively.


	3. Chapter 3: Action

ACTION

"Are these two correct, Mr. Beyondormason?"

"Mm?" grunted Armonia Justin as he leaned forward towards Near, who was holding up Armonia's Death Note by the corners.

"These two rules: 'The human who uses this Note cannot go to Heaven or Hell', and 'All humans, after death, go to MU (nothingness)'."

Armonia picked at a ruby-like jewel in the back of his head. "Of course they are. They're there, aren't they?"

Near tapped the 'Heaven and Hell' rule. "If all humans go to this nothingness, then that would include Death Note using humans. So why is there an entirely other rule about how humans who've a Death Note can't go to the supposed afterlife?"

Beyondormason snorted. "Why not? 'The human who uses this Note cannot go to Heaven or Hell'. That's just another way of saying there is no Heaven or Hell."

"No," said Near, "not if there already exists a rule that dictates that ALL humans cease to exist after death, when another dictates that only specific humans cease to exist after death."

"It exists because it exists. Why else would it be in the Note?" Armonia Justin was beginning to look irritated. He was obviously having doubts about his temporary accomplice.

"It just seems unnecessary is all," murmured Near. A distinct _ping _suddenly sounded from a computer behind Beyondormason. A little confused, Beyondormason turned to Near.

Near nodded. "Go on. Answer it."

Awkwardly, Armonia Justin Beyondormason dragged the pointer to the new message and clicked.

With a light push, Near thrust his swivel chair towards the computer. The first thing he saw on the monitor was red. _**URGENT**_, read the message, with an online newspaper article attachment. Near hesitantly opened it.

"Tragedy strikes as nearly every inhabitant of the White House died today, all of heart attacks. America's state governments are currently scrambling for executives to act as stand-ins until the next elections," read Near. He turned to Beyondormason.

"What are you looking at me for? All I want is to get that Note back."

"How is it even working? All things considered, it shouldn't be working, unless this special Death Note can withstand a few of the fundamental rules."

Armonia sighed. "It can't. Some of the rules can be excepted for higher class ones, but none of the rules I know that don't apply . . . don't seem to be applicable to this situation."

Near turned back to the article. "It's almost definite that we are dealing with a terrorist group or anarchist group that has your impossible Note in their possession."

"I hope they don't keep it up. Otherwise there won't be anyone left to take the life spans of."

Near smiled faintly. "Should be easy enough to find them. I must confess that Light/Kira's treatment did manage to end most crime syndicates around the world. This will be like picking pieces of paper out of a nearly empty hat . . . unless we're dealing with just a psychotic individual."

"Like Light Yagami?" asked Armonia Justin.

"Indeed," said Near, who'd begun stacking dice absent-mindedly on a corner of the gray table. His free hand started to type a message to Rester and Lidner.

"Send me a list of all confirmed terrorist or anarchist groups that have still been or have become active since the Kira Investigation. SEND."

Beyondormason shifted in his seat, accidentally rattling the chain upon which the Death Notes were attached. "What now?"

"We wait. Then we sift through news reports involving the few groups, find which one has appeared the most prominently, find them, and monitor their actions."

"But what if the most appearing group isn't the one? It could just be a less well known one wanting to get attention."

"That is possible. Or even a less well known person wanting to get attention."

"Mm. So what do we do in the meantime?"

"Wait."

"WAIT! I need that Death Note NOW!"

"Patience, Mr. Shinigami. Surely you can wait."

Armonia Justin quieted. He leaned forward, his dark, bronzy nose almost making contact with the prodigy's snow white hair.

"You don't seem to realize how grave our situation is," hissed Armonia Justin. "We Shinigami have a special sort of device in our realm. It is shaped like a sphere, with a viewing hole in it. It allows us to see every corner of the human world from any view we choose.

"I know what you're thinking, Nate River. If they exist, then why don't the Shinigami simply use them to find whoever is using the prepared Death Note? Many reasons: One, because all the gods of death, excepting me and the King, are lazy at heart, even if they won't admit it. Two, because of this, they need persuasion to look upon every corner of your world endlessly, looking at everything, SEEING everything, having to look over places that have already been watched in case the culprit or culprits have returned. Three, even if they wanted to, they cannot for now. These spherical devices are being destroyed one by one by an unknown Shinigami, and it's a race against time to find and/or make more."

Beyondormason sat back, holding his knees to his bejeweled chest. "This is why I need you for this, human."

_Ping_. Near opened the new message.

Armonia Justin looked up. "Well?"

"Hmm . . ." said Near as he looked over the short list. Perhaps Kira _did_ make more of an impression than once thought.

"Okay. Okay, all the major groups we have are the Kolas, the Mafia and Kira's Kingdom, although Kira's Kingdom seems to be getting defunct."

Armonia Justin frowned. "Kira's Kingdom seems the most obvious."

"But Teru Mikami and Kiyomi Takada are the only outright Kira supporters who knew about . . . no, that isn't relevant. And the Mafia _did_ have a Death Note when Mello was leading a faction."

"Then why didn't they just do what they might be doing now?"

"Easy. Mello was in charge, and at the time Mello only cared about catching Kira. Of course, Kira was on the mind of the Mafia already, and they and Mello were just using each other. Now that Kira is out of the picture . . . would they really try something on such a grand scale as this?"

"You tell me." It was Armonia Justin's turn to frustrate Near. He looked to Near's perpetual dice tower. "Pretty."

Near grimaced at the advisor of gods of death. "I'm helping you, Shinigami."

"I know. Should that keep me from pointing things out?"

"Please. Even I have some level of respect." Near's black-gray eyes reflected the glint of Armonia's gems beautifully.

"You are a human. I am a god of death." Armonia seemed an octave quieter as he said 'of death'. "Your human mannerisms don't apply to me. I apply to them."

Near scanned the list of possible threats a third time. "Surely you've heard of the word 'diplomacy.'"

Armonia inched backwards._ This impudent human boy is contradicting me! If he weren't helping me, I'd . . ._

Finally, Armonia nodded. "Perhaps."

For a moment, they sat there. Near was wondering which of the three groups were the least likely of having committed something that would make a freedom fighter urinate on the spot. Armonia Justin, on the other hand, was trying to figure out the new L. _Such an odd little creature . . . truly is he the successor of his crouching mentor._

"From process of elimination . . . I'd have to say Kira's Kingdom is the least likely culprit", said Near at last.

"What? Why? They'd probably _want_ to be using the Death Note."

Near grinned at Armonia Justin. "No. Not on the American government. Every single member can't possibly have been involved in some scandal. Kira and his followers are inspired by some sense of justice, not by random acts of terrorism. Besides, David Hoope proclaimed that the U.S. would stay neutral on the subject of Kira, the bastard." Near's smile contorted back into the full-lipped line it usually was.

The lips parted. "That would leave the Mafia and the Kolas."

"Kola? Like the drink?"

"No", sighed Near. "Like the tree. The Kolas are probably the only active crime family in the world right now."

Armonia Justin scratched his chin with a ring-adorned gloved finger. The sound it made as it ground against Armonia's jaw sounded strangely hollow. "Well . . . to me, I think the Kolas are responsible."

"I agree. I don't think the Mafia would be very interested in the murder of political figures."

Armonia Justin sighed. "Well, come on. Go find them."

Near frowned at his reflection in the left jewel eye of the advisor of Shinigami. "It isn't that simple, Mr. Beyondormason. We have no idea _where_ the Kola family is hiding."

"What?" Armonia sounded like a child being denied its promised lollipop. "Why? Don't you have _some_ idea of where they might be hiding? They must've been dealt with before . . . !"

"Yes, back in 2014. But they weren't really even an official group then."

"Explain", said Armonia meekly. He obviously didn't like not being privy to knowledge of potential thieves. Unbeknownst to Near, Armonia was silently cursing himself for dismissing the affairs of humans long ago.

"In 2013, various people committed seemingly random murders around the world in four different countries: the U.S, Korea, Mexico, and Russia. When cornered, they all claimed they were a part of the Kola crime syndicate," Near flicked a lone die from one of the towers of dice he'd made. "They subsequently took cyanide pills hidden in their fake teeth."

Armonia cocked his head. "Humans do such silly things."

"I'm afraid they didn't have much of a choice. They would probably have been sentenced to life in prison, or death." Near paused to rearrange a dice column. "Since then, various thefts and murders have occurred throughout different parts of the globe, all in the name of the Kolas.

"Many detective agencies have tried to gather research on the family name 'Kola', but they haven't made much progress. Besides, everyone was already concerned with Kira."

"I see. Now, what does this have to do with me getting that Note back?"

"If the supposed Kola family is responsible for the government murders, then they must have your missing Death Note. But it still doesn't explain why it's working."

Beyondormason exhaled. For a brief moment, Near wondered where Armonia's lungs were, despite his ribcage appearing empty. "Perhaps . . . I could be mistaken. Perhaps these special Death Notes can coexist with each other, despite the six Death Note rule. Then . . . then that would mean . . ."

Near grinned again. He understood know: Armonia Justin Beyondormason had been lied to. "Then that would mean that the Shinigami King isn't very trustworthy. He's been withholding information from you."

Armonia Justin began to gasp, but caught himself. His weather, brown-gold brow furrowed itself over his pearl-colored crystal eyes. He'd figured it out himself when he reconsidered the Judge working despite six other Notes existing in the human realm . . . but to hear this simple human reveal the fact? He felt even more cheated.

Near rolled his eyes towards Beyondormason. "I told you that I never did have much respect for authority."


End file.
